Business
ABC News just posted this interview with Steve Gitlin, Director of Marketing Strategy with AeroVironment. In it he delivers a smooth and clear explanation of the use of the company’s unmanned systems and the advantages that they bring to ground forces. Towards the end of the interview, he also
Testing
Canada is deploying unmanned surveillance aircraft to the High Arctic for the first time, as part of the largest military exercise ever in the Far North. Catapult-launched Boeing ScanEagle similar to those used by the Canadian army for surveillance in Afghanistan are to assist in a major air disaster
Military
The Israel Air Force has begun using unmanned aircraft to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions over Israeli gas fields in the Mediterranean out of fear that they will be targeted by Hezbollah. In early July, the cabinet approved the demarcation of Israel’s northern maritime border with Lebanon, which sets
Propulsion
AeroVironment Inc filed a patent application for "A hydrogen fueled power-plant including an internal combustion engine that drives a motor-generator, and has a two-stage turbocharger, for an aircraft.” “A control system controls the operation of the motor-generator to maintain the engine at a speed selected
Military
A detachment of MQ-8B Fire Scouts completed a second deployment for the system August 3, returning to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., after seven months on the frigate Halyburton, where the unmanned helicopters tracked pirates and provided surveillance over Libya. It was a conclusion to a busy deployment that included
Commercial
A former RAF pilot based in Northumberland is now using unmanned aircraft technology to safeguard, enhance and protect landscapes and wildlife in North East England. Nigel King joined the RAF in 1978 after studying electronic engineering at Newcastle Polytechnic, later Northumbria University where his wife Dr Helen King is a
Accidents
A US Navy unmanned aircraft that disappeared along the coast in central Libya in June was probably shot down by Colonel Gadhafi's forces, a U.S. military investigation has concluded. According to Lieutenant Commander Mark Walton - a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet - the
The first production prototype of the modernized Apache landed at the US Army's Redstone Arsenal Test Center and was put it through its paces to the delight of a media and contractor audience. The Apache Block III will feature Future Modular Force connectivity through seamless global information grid
On 5 August, Congress passed a short-term FAA extension ending a two week partial shutdown of the FAA. The 14-day shutdown cost the federal government nearly $400 million in lost revenue because the FAA was not allowed to collect taxes on air tickets. The shutdown also furloughed approximately
Lighter Than Air
In recent years, airships have once again become a major force in aviation. The Pentagon has gone especially blimp-crazy, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into advanced -- and massive -- surveillance airships that can stay in the sky way longer than any unmanned aircraft. Here is a review of some
Payloads
Mercury Computer Systems is delivering its radar subsystems to Raytheon for Patriot Air and Missile Defence System upgrades. The upgrades support Raytheon's recently announced contracts for System upgrades for Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. Patriot is a combat-proven air and missile defence system chosen by 12 nations around
Testing
EOS, the world-leading manufacturer of laser-sintering systems, is developing UAV parts and promoting the use of laser-sintering as a competitive business strategy. Laser-sintering involves no tooling, and very little machining or fixturing, making it highly cost-effective and speedy for the low production runs of most